Decoding Women's Health with Dr. Elizabeth Poynor

What if we reframed the way we approach exercise? On today’s show, Dr. Elizabeth Poynor is joined by Robert Brace - founder of Brace Life Studios. He’s also Elizabeth’s trainer. They discuss how he tailors his workouts to women in midlife, the benefits of exercising in a group and how movement and exercise connect to our mental and spiritual well-being. Robert also gives advice about how to approach training at different hormonal cycle phases, and ways to get started, even when it feels tough.
Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
Robert Brace’s Studio
Martial arts increase oxytocin production
Systematic review: pain, cognition, and cardioprotection—unpacking oxytocin’s contributions in a sport context
Bidirectional Association between Physical Activity and Dopamine Across Adulthood—A Systematic Review
Embodied mood regulation: the impact of body posture on mood recovery, negative thoughts, and mood-congruent recall
Bone mineral density loss in relation to the final menstrual period in a multiethnic cohort: results from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)
American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise
Menstrual cycle tracker apps – Natural Cycles, Flo and Apple Health
Exercise platforms/apps – Nike Training, TheBraceLife.com
Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midlife can be a period of immense change and, sometimes, challenging emotions. But it’s also an opportunity to cultivate deeper, more lasting happiness. In today’s episode, Dr. Laurie Santos — renowned psychologist, happiness expert, and host of The Happiness Lab — shares insights on how midlife women can thrive. She breaks down the components of happiness, explains why we’re often mistaken about what makes us happy, and provides practical tools and habits to boost wellbeing, manage negative emotions, and navigate burnout.
Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
World Happiness Report
University of Michigan’s Healthy Minds Study
Is happiness U-shaped everywhere? Age and subjective well-being in 145 countries
A Global Flourishing Study Finds That Young Adults, Well, Aren’t
Signature Strengths Test
RAIN: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GLP-1s are everywhere. But are they the only medical weight loss intervention worth considering? On today’s episode, Dr. George Fielding - a pioneer of laparoscopic adjustable band surgery and a patient of the procedure himself - offers an insider’s look at the world of weight loss surgeries. How do these surgeries work? Who are they really for? And how should we think about them alongside the surge of GLP-1 medications? We also dig into the stigmas people face when trying to lose weight with medical support, and the biggest misconceptions around obesity.

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
Genomics reveals eleven obesity endotypes with distinct biological and phenotypic signatures
Obesity Drugs May Drop to as Little as $149 a Month
The lung is a site of platelet biogenesis and a reservoir for haematopoietic progenitors
Associations of Hysterectomy, Oophorectomy, and Hormone Replacement Therapy With the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Postmenopausal Women
Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Almost two-thirds of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are women. Shifting hormones make us especially vulnerable. But what if there were ways to lower your risk? Preventive neurologist Dr. Richard Isaacson believes nearly half of dementia cases can be avoided. He shares how to know if you’re at risk for Alzheimer’s and what steps to take for better long-term brain health.
Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
Individualized clinical management of patients at risk for Alzheimer’s dementia
Structured vs Self-Guided Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions for Global Cognitive Function
A 2 year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people (FINGER): a randomised controlled trial
Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission
Clinical Application of APOE in Alzheimer's Prevention: A Precision Medicine Approach
Menopause impacts human brain structure, connectivity, energy metabolism, and amyloid-beta deposition
Association of Reproductive History With Brain MRI Biomarkers of Dementia Risk in Midlife
Effect of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control on Probable Dementia: A Randomized Clinical Trial
evoke and evoke+: design of two large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 studies evaluating efficacy, safety, and tolerability of semaglutide in early-stage symptomatic Alzheimer's disease
Sex-Driven Differences in the Effectiveness of Individualized Clinical Management of Alzheimer's Disease Risk
Sex-driven modifiers of Alzheimer risk: A multimodality brain imaging study
The Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (IND)
Retain Your Brain
Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does your body start “shape shifting” in midlife, even if you’re doing everything “right”? And what’s really behind all the GLP-1 buzz? Endocrinologist and weight-management specialist Dr. Beverly Tchang explains the science behind midlife metabolism, why BMI alone doesn’t tell the full story, what GLP-1s actually do in the body, and what women should know before considering these treatments.
Links to resources mentioned in this episode:
Dr. Beverly Tchang’s Professional Disclosures
SWAN Study (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation)
HOMA-IR Calculator (for assessing insulin resistance)
STEP 1 Trial – Semaglutide for weight management
SURMOUNT-1 Trial – Tirzepatide for weight management
Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.